Vista 64-bit Questions

[casher824]

Okay, I have a few questions so bear with me. I built a new i7 desktop a couple days ago and realized that my copy of XP 32-bit is choking the hell out of it. I would like to make the switch to 64-bit Vista. I have a few questions that are holding me back though. I'm not sure whether to upgrade my copy of XP or just do a fresh install with Vista.

1. If I purchase an OEM copy of Vista 64, I know it will pair it with my motherboard. My question is whether it pairs it specifically to my exact motherboard or that model of MB in case I need to replace a dead MB with the same model?

2. If I purchase a retail Vista upgrade package, and then get the 64 bit upgrade for that will I have to install XP, then Vista upgrade, then 64-bit upgrade every time I reformat or repartition my hard drive?

Hopefully the answer to 2 is no, because that would be a royal pain. I am open to either option, but I would prefer the cheaper option. I am running the Windows 7 beta but would like something more stable (insert Vista joke) until Windows 7 is officially released. Thanks for any help and sorry if these questions have been posted elsewhere, but I couldn't find them.

 

[heatlesssun]

I think all you need for an upgrade copy is an XP key when installing Vista, you don't actually have to have XP already installed on the system.

I don't know mush about OEM distributions but I don't think that its tied to the specific device but I could be wrong.

 

[devil22]

Windows has to be installed for an upgrade version to install, the installer only runs from within windows, if you boot off the disc and enter your vista key it will tell you it can't install that way. But you don't necessarily need XP, you can install Vista in 'trial' mode (not really for trials, but whatever), then install Vista again from within the 'trial' mode version, and it will work. Still a pita, though.

 

[casher824]

I take it if you can install the upgrade from a fresh install of Vista off the same install disc running in trial mode you still need to input the original XP key somewhere?

 

[Kil4Thril]

I take it if you can install the upgrade from a fresh install of Vista off the same install disc running in trial mode you still need to input the original XP key somewhere?

Nope.

 

[[H]adouken]

Question is where do we get cheap[er] Ultimate 64s?!

 

[casher824]

Okay this is getting off-track. I checked Microsoft's website and it says that if you have Home Basic 32-bit (which I do) installed that you need to do a clean install for Vista 64-bit, so I'm guessing the upgrade option is out, right? Can Kil4Thril and Devil22 explain a little more what you're talking about.

 

[Blackforge]

You cannot do an upgrade install of a 32-bit Windows OS over a 64-bit Windows OS because of the differing architecture behind the OS versions. Plus I'm sure Microsoft just wouldn't want to deal with trying to get that situation to work.

 

[Kil4Thril]

Just clean install the 64 withOUT entering the license code. Then, put the disk in the drive and select "upgrade install". Input your code when it goes through the process again.

There is another way using the command prompt to avoid the second install, but search is failing me on finding it. I know Joe Average (or maybe it was earlier, BBZ Ghost) posted an entire writeup on it.

 

[heatlesssun]

Okay this is getting off-track. I checked Microsoft's website and it says that if you have Home Basic 32-bit (which I do) installed that you need to do a clean install for Vista 64-bit, so I'm guessing the upgrade option is out, right? Can Kil4Thril and Devil22 explain a little more what you're talking about.

I swear I remember that there used to be a way to do it without the install, memory is the first to go. I'll see if I can find anything. Here's a decent price on the Home Premium Full Version: http://www.royaldiscount.com/miwivi...+Version+OEM+64-bit+(includes+SP1)&ysmtac=CMP

 

[casher824]

Does anybody know the answer to #1 as this option is about the same cost as buying a retail upgrade package. Newegg has OEM Vista x64 Home Premium at around $100 and a retail upgrade to Vista Home Premium is about $110-120. I would prefer the OEM route but I don't want to be stuck with a non-functioning OS if my MB craps out and I have to replace it.

 

[DeathFromBelow]

Does anybody know the answer to #1 as this option is about the same cost as buying a retail upgrade package. Newegg has OEM Vista x64 Home Premium at around $100 and a retail upgrade to Vista Home Premium is about $110-120. I would prefer the OEM route but I don't want to be stuck with a non-functioning OS if my MB craps out and I have to replace it.

If the motherboard dies you just have to call and do a phone activation. In my experience they'll let you activate on a new motherboard if the original died.

And it should go without saying, but don't abuse this system to transfer/reuse OEM licenses.

 

[casher824]

If the motherboard dies you just have to call and do a phone activation. In my experience they'll let you activate on a new motherboard if the original died.

And it should go without saying, but don't abuse this system to transfer/reuse OEM licenses.

Thanks. I'll probably go the OEM route knowing that Microsoft would be open to letting me reuse the key if my MB dies. Is it true that as long as just my motherboard stays the same, that I can reinstall it or add components as I feel necessary?

 

[devil22]

Just clean install the 64 withOUT entering the license code. Then, put the disk in the drive and select "upgrade install". Input your code when it goes through the process again.

There is another way using the command prompt to avoid the second install, but search is failing me on finding it. I know Joe Average (or maybe it was earlier, BBZ Ghost) posted an entire writeup on it.

I forgot about this, I even saved Joe Average's post on my hdd so I could use this method in the future, here is his entire post on the issue:

Install the upgrade edition (as a full install) without using the key and during the initial parts of the installation pick the CORRECT edition, of course since if you don't you'll end up starting over, choose not to activate when online, and finish the installation.

Now, if you're not connected online yet because some NICs may not get detected by Vista, believe it or not, you will need to install them at this point because you must be online for this "trick" to work.

Once that's done, or if you are connected because Vista did have a driver for your NIC or your wireless card or whatever, fantastic, you're ready to proceed, but if not you can't do this without being online.

At this point you've installed the "upgrade" edition as full one, you didn't input the key when you installed it, and you chose not to activate online automagically. Next step:

You need to run an Administrative Command Prompt. Find Command Prompt on the Start Menu, under Programs - Accessories (I think, I'm not running Vista at the moment, sorry). Once you find the shortcut, right click on it and choose "Run as administrator..." - it'll pop up the UAC box (since this is a new installation you'll get the prompt).

If you did it right, you'll get a Command Prompt appear, but it's different than "normal" because it'll say "Administrative Command Prompt" in the title bar. If it does, great, move on. If not, then figure it out, you can't do this unless the Command Prompt has Admin privileges.

Final steps are the 3 commands (the first 2 are mandatory, the 3rd is optional but I recommend you do it anyway):

1) Type:

slmgr.vbs -ipk <your Product Key with hyphens> (then press Enter and wait)

So if your key looks like JMJTK-MFCDG-248TY-TYHPW-2C8KH you'd be typing:

slmgr.vbs -ipk JMJTK-MFCDG-248TY-TYHPW-2C8KH and then you'd press Enter. When you press Enter is runs the Visual Basic script which installs the Product Key you specified - i for Install, p for Product, k for Key, hence -ipk is the switch.

After a minute or two (this process takes a while so be patient and JUST WAIT for it to finish, seriously), you'll get a popup alert that tells you the key has been successfully installed. If not, then you're going to have a problem at this point - I've done this over 1500 times since Vista came out, and not one time has it ever not worked. The instructions I just gave you are the exact steps I follow up to this point, and it's never failed for me.

After that popup appears, click OK and we'll continue.

2) Type:

slmgr.vbs -ato (and then press Enter and wait)

Again, this fires up the Visual Basic script to activate online (activate oline) which is now possible since you just installed the Product Key with the previous command. And this process takes a minute or two also, so JUST WAIT for it to finish. When it's done, you'll get another popup alert telling you it's successful. If so, move on, if not then somewhere something is wrong or... well, I can't tell you what might be wrong because this process has never failed for me.

3) This step is option but recommended. Type:

slmgr.vbs -dli (and then press Enter and wait)

This last one fires up that Visual Basic script and displays the licensing info (d for display, l for licensing, i for info... neat how that works, ain't it?) of your current installation which, at that moment has a Product Key and was just activated by the previous command. A minute or two and the final popup alert will appear with the info you're interested in which is on the last line because it should say "Activated."

That's it, you're all set. You can thank me later...

Been telling people how to do the "full" install with an upgrade edition of Vista with just one installation since oh... October of 2006, but as I said the thread I had created long ago got lost in the forum rollback long long ago. Not many people get the upgrade editions when you grab a full OEM copy for about the same price more often than not.

Good luck...

 

[DeathFromBelow]

Thanks. I'll probably go the OEM route knowing that Microsoft would be open to letting me reuse the key if my MB dies. Is it true that as long as just my motherboard stays the same, that I can reinstall it or add components as I feel necessary?

Yes, you can upgrade whatever you want except the motherboard.

 

[bigdogchris]

1. If I purchase an OEM copy of Vista 64, I know it will pair it with my motherboard. My question is whether it pairs it specifically to my exact motherboard or that model of MB in case I need to replace a dead MB with the same model?

Thanks. I'll probably go the OEM route knowing that Microsoft would be open to letting me reuse the key if my MB dies. Is it true that as long as just my motherboard stays the same, that I can reinstall it or add components as I feel necessary?

When you activate it, the system builds a hash based on your hardware configuration. Depending on what component changes, the hash will be changed and it will come up as the need to activate again. I had to reactivate my copy of XP OEM several times with several different motherboards/cpu's/hard drives, and never had an issue. I simply pressed activate now and it was over. I never had an issue reinstalling/activating an OEM Windows on a new build. Even in the rare event that you do change your motherboard and reinstall the OS and it gives an error while trying to activate it, you call MS and tell them your motherboard was fried and had to change it and they will give you a new key.

2. If I purchase a retail Vista upgrade package, and then get the 64 bit upgrade for that will I have to install XP, then Vista upgrade, then 64-bit upgrade every time I reformat or repartition my hard drive?

If you buy Vista Upgrade you can install it just like you do a normal OS. Then when you load into Vista, you put the disc in and run 'update my os' once you update it, then you can activate it with the update key.

Hopefully the answer to 2 is no, because that would be a royal pain. I am open to either option, but I would prefer the cheaper option. I am running the Windows 7 beta but would like something more stable (insert Vista joke) until Windows 7 is officially released. Thanks for any help and sorry if these questions have been posted elsewhere, but I couldn't find them.

Order Vista x64 SP1 OEM (Business or Premium) and be done with it. You won't regret it or run into any issues.

Okay this is getting off-track. I checked Microsoft's website and it says that if you have Home Basic 32-bit (which I do) installed that you need to do a clean install for Vista 64-bit, so I'm guessing the upgrade option is out, right? Can Kil4Thril and Devil22 explain a little more what you're talking about.

You're making this more complicated than it has to be. Your Vista key can be used for x64. All you have to do it, put the x64 disc in your drive, install the OS, put the same key in and you're done. You can't update 32 to 64 bit so it will have to be a fresh install, just save your old data on a backup. You don't have to buy anything new if you already have a Vista key. Even if you want to use x64 or use AERO in basic (a quick reg edit enables AERO on Basic). All you have to do is get x64 media and reuse your Vista 32 key.